Army arrests Rohingya youth in Maungdaw

Maungdaw, Arakan State: A Rohingya youth was arrested yesterday by army in Maungdaw Town over the allegation that he was involved in the violence of June 8, according to a close relative of the victim.

“The victim was identified as Moulvi Mohamed Alam (25), son of Abdu Shukur, hailed from Nurulla Para (village) of Maungdaw south.”

The victim was arrested by Major Ray Wint Aung, the Deputy Commander of Light Infantry Battalion (LIB) No. 352. The Commander accompanied by some soldiers have been taking station at Maungdaw south after the June violence between Rakhine and Rohingya. The Commander was sent there to control the riot but the commander has discriminating the Rohingya villagers though there is Nasaka (Burma’s border force) is present, said a local elder who denied to be named.

After arrest, the army officer demanded Kyat 3 million from the victim to be released, but the arrestee is not able to pay this huge amount. As a result, the commander handed over the victim to the Maungdaw police station.

According to a neighbor of the victim, the police filed case with false and fabricated accusation against him and gave three days remand from the court.

Regarding the June riot in Maungdaw Township, over 1,000 Rohingya villagers were arrested excluding Rakhine people. Some were missing and many were killed after security forces’ arrest, according to local sources.

Similarly, Nasaka arrested two Rohingyas –Younous, 28, son of Ismail and Saifullah, 20, son of Molana Abdul Sukur, hailed from Kanpu village, Maungdaw on November 21, with so called warrant list, said a village admin official.

After nearly six months of riot, the security forces have been arresting arbitrarily only Rohingya villagers. After arrests, villagers were tortured and extorted money from them and some were sent to jail without any proper documents and query. The security forces arrested Rohingya people after entering the village whom they met, especially youths, educated persons and rich men. Meanwhile, if they got chance, they assaulted the Rohingya women and girls, a local trader said.

The security forces will not stop the arrest and harassment against the Rohingya people until and unless the government’s pressure against them.

Source KPN:

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